Sr Manager, Engineering Tech Lead
Date: May 11, 2026
Location: Chicago, IL, US, 60607
Company: McDonald's Corporation
Company Description:
McDonald’s growth strategy, Accelerating the Arches, encompasses all aspects of our business as the leading global omni-channel restaurant brand. As the consumer landscape shifts we are using our competitive advantages to further strengthen our brand. One of our core growth strategies is to Double Down on the 3Ds (Delivery, Digital and Drive Thru). McDonald’s will accelerate technology innovation so 65M+ customers a day will experience a fast, easy experience, whether at one of our 25,000 and growing Drive thrus, through McDelivery, dine-in or takeaway.
McDonald’s Global Technology is here to power tomorrow’s feel-good moments.
That’s why you’ll find us at the forefront of transformative technology, exploring new and innovative ways to serve our millions of customers and spread happiness one delicious Hot Fudge Sundae-dipped fry at a time. Using AI, robotics and emerging tech, we’re digitizing the Golden Arches. Combine that with our unparalleled global scale, and we’re reshaping all areas of the business, industry and every community that is home to a McDonald’s restaurant. We face complex tech challenges every day. But that’s where our diverse and talented teams come in. They’re made up of the best and brightest from all over the globe, and they thrive in the space where feel-good meets fast-paced.
Check out the McDonald’s Global Technology Technical Blog to learn how technology and our global team are directly enabling the Accelerating the Arches strategy.
Department Overview
The Senior Manager – Technology Support is accountable for the strategic leadership, operational excellence, and evolution of McDonald’s restaurant technology labs and innovation environments. This role ensures lab capabilities support enterprise‑scale innovation, enabling teams to test, validate, and de‑risk new technologies, equipment, and operational workflows prior to market deployment.
This leader partners closely across Global Technology, Engineering, Product, and Markets to ensure solutions are operationally viable, scalable, and aligned with frontline realities.
Duties
- Lead the strategy, vision, and roadmap for restaurant technology lab operations in support of global innovation priorities
- Ensure lab environments serve as high‑fidelity representations of live restaurants across markets, formats, and operating conditions
- Drive continuous improvement in lab capabilities, processes, and tooling to support evolving technology and operations needs
- Coordinate end‑to‑end lab operations, ensuring consistent readiness for testing, simulations, pilots, and executive demonstrations
- Lead installation, configuration, and lifecycle management of restaurant lab equipment, hardware, and systems
- Partner with product teams to support System Integration Testing (SIT) for innovation products, ensuring solutions are production-ready prior to deployment.
- Lead and coordinate the deployment of innovation products within two designated Production restaurants.
- Establish and supervise KPIs for lab utilization, efficiency, and delivery outcomes
- Enable functional, integration, and end‑to‑end testing of restaurant technologies
- Lead, mentor, and develop lab managers, staff, contractors, and vendor partners
- Own lab budgets, vendor strategy, and asset management
- Establish governance, standards, and operating models for lab usage and access
- Build and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with restaurant leadership and management teams to support successful testing and rollout activities.
Qualifications
Required
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Technology, Operations, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
- Significant experience leading innovation, labs, test environments, or technology programs in sophisticated environments
- Strong understanding of restaurant technology, infrastructure, and networking
- 5+ Years of hands on experience building out labs for product testing
- Strong executive communication, decision‑making, and prioritization skills
Compensation
Bonus Eligible: YES
Long - Term Incentive: YES
Benefits Eligible: YES
Salary Range
The expected salary range for this role is $152,678.00 - $190,847.00 per year
The above represents the expected salary range for this job requisition. Ultimately, in determining your pay, we may also consider your experience, and other job-related factors.
Additional Information:
Benefits eligible: This position offers health and welfare benefits, including but not limited to comprehensive health insurance, which includes medical, prescription drug, mental health, dental and vision coverage, as well as, life insurance.
Bonus eligible: This position is eligible for a bonus, calculated based on individual and company performance.
Long term Incentive eligible: This position is eligible for stock or other equity grants pursuant to McDonald’s long-term incentive plan.
McDonald’s is an equal opportunity employer committed to the diversity of our workforce. We promote an inclusive work environment that creates feel-good moments for everyone. McDonald’s provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities as part of the application or hiring process or to perform the essential functions of their job. If you need assistance accessing or reading this job posting or otherwise feel you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process, please contact mcdhrbenefits@us.mcd.com. Reasonable accommodations will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
McDonald’s provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to sex, sex stereotyping, pregnancy (including pregnancy, childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding), race, color, religion, ancestry or national origin, age, disability status, medical condition, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, protected military or veteran status, citizenship status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
Nothing in this job posting or description should be construed as an offer or guarantee of employment.
Nearest Major Market: Chicago